Chapter 5 Bob Dylan and the New Frontier MUSH 261

Change This section of rock & roll history includes: Civil Rights marches with Martin Luther King Jr. in Birmingham President John F. Kennedy announcing plans for a new Frontier Bob Dylan singing songs of social protest in New York

Wobblies IWW: International Workers of the World Called Wobblies Protest songs for equality for American workers in the 1960s Radical Unionists Offices were closed by the feds during the red Scare after WWI

Songs of Protest Ralph Chaplin wrote: “Solidarity Forever” Set to the tune of “Battle Hymn of the Republic” They have taken untold millions that they never toiled to earn/ But without our brain and muscle not a single wheel can turn/ We can break their haughty power, gain our freedom when we learn/ That the Union makes us strong/Solidarity Forever!”

Radical Unionists

Woody Guthrie Continued the goal of the IWW Born, 1912, in Oklahoma Started his career in L.A. reading radical newspapers over the air Moved to New York and wrote for communist party newspapers Served in WWII

Returned from WWII and wrote songs like, “This land is your land”

Pete Seeger Joined the IWW Born 1919 in New York Founded the Almanac singers with Guthrie After serving in WWII he started a musicians union and agency Started a group called the Weavers

Popularized folk songs like “Goodnight Irene”

Also popularized the folk song, “On Top of Old Smokey”

Issues for Protest Singers Senate censure in late 1954 Blackballed from networks Lost gigs Lost Jobs

Folk Revival Folk came back in 1960 when college enrollment increased College students were searching for an alternative to “pop” music that the “kids” were listening to

Kingston Trio Started the Folk Revival Trio of College students signed to Capitol records Surpassed Frank Sinatra as Capitols #1 money maker Invested in 10 different companies including a restaurant

“Tom Dooley”

Return of the Blues As Folk came back, so did the blues with artists like: Muddy Waters John Lee Hooker Howlin Wolf College students were trading records for LP’s (long playing records)

Hootenanny Television show on ABC Took viewers to Folk concerts on different campuses Sold Sweatshirts, pinball games, magazines & made a film called Hootenanny Hoot

Bob Dylan Born May 24, 1941 in Hibbing, Minnesota Real Name: Robert Allen Zimmerman Picked on as a kid for being Jewish Felt Isolated Didn’t know if he was normal Turned to music

Inspirations Hank Williams – introduced him to guitar Muddy Waters John Lee Hooker & Howlin’ Wolf Country and R&B Rock Around The Clock: “Hey, that’s our music!” Elvis Presley & Little Richard Buddy Holly

“Rock & Roll was pretty much finished” Turned to Folk Music Kingston Trio inspired him Traded his stuff for a Martin acoustic guitar 1959 he began to perform traditional folk music

Guthrie Influence Dylan studied Woody Guthrie Visited Guthrie as he was dying in the hospital in New York First album he wrote a song dedicated to Woody

Political Dylan Second album: The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan was released in May 1963 Featured, “Blowin’ in the Wind,” a song based on the melody of an old spiritual Became an anthem for the civil rights movement Believed, “there’s other things in this world besides love and sex that’re important too”

Battle Cry “A Pawn in their Game”: the murder of civil rights leader Medgar Evers “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll”: 1963 killing of an African American barmaid by a white Maryland tobacco farmer who received only six months in prison and a $500 fine Chronicled the plight of African Americans

Standing up Refused to perform on the Ed Sullivan Show when CBS banned him from singing “Talkin’ John Birth Society Blues” Gave a concert with Pete Seeger to promote A.A. voter registration Appeared on local NY television program dealing with “freedom singers.” Performed at the March on Washington headed by MLK Jr.

Bob Dylan

At the Center of it all Became a focal point for a community of protest singers Joan Baez, Bob Dylan’s female counterpart in folk protest

Joan Baez Daughter of a Mexican-born physicist and Scotch-Irish mother she was dark skinned Faced racial discrimination at an early age She composed few of her own songs Took a decidedly political stance

Taking a Stand Refused to appear on ABC’s Hootenanny when the show blacklisted Pete Seeger Rejected more than $100,000 in concerts one year because “if someone desires to make money, I don’t call it folk music” Demonstrated in Birmingham for desegregation Marched on Washington

Singing her mentors tunes